Question about pixel size

[EleanorW]

I have a 10MP camera and I'm trying to find out how big I need to keep my cropped photo's to get a decent 8x10 print.

 

[Dwig]

To get the best quality print, the file you send to the printer would be roughly 2400x3000 pixels. That would yield 300ppi (pixels per inch) at the 8"x10" print size. Many printers (less expensive home printers on less than top end paper and bargin labs) won't show any improvement beyond 200-240ppi, which would be an image size of 1600x2000 pixels.

 

[KmH]

And some consumer print stores require a minimum of 100 ppi or 1000 x 800 pixels.

 

[Garbz]

To get the best quality print you'd send the full 10 mpx file to the printer. That works out to be close to 400ppi I think for the full 10mpx.

The basic rule of thumb is that if someone with 20:20 vision holds a print at a comfortable arms length then if printed at 300ppi they can not see any pixels.

Size and quality are all relative to how close you look at a print. Stick your nose in a 6x4 and 10mpx will not be enough. View a billboard from 6m away and a 2mpx camera is enough.

In practical terms 300ppi is "photo quality" by rule of thumb, 250ppi and 200ppi are still good, below 200ppi you want to be further than arms length from what you're looking at.

 

[skieur]

Of course, if you are effectively using the software available, with a 10 meg camera you could produce a quality 16 by 20 print.

skieur

 

[EleanorW]

Thanks everyone - I learned how to use my crop tool "properly" and got the image I wanted crop to an 8x10 size in Photoshop. The image came back looking great.

 

[Big Mike]

You can print as large as you want...just keep in mind that the viewing distance should be farther away for lager prints. As mentioned, if an 8x10 looks good at arms length, you are probably OK.

Think about a billloard. Up close, they look terrible but from the proper viewing distance (maybe 50 feet or more) they look just fine.